The Return Home
by SkyGem
Summary: AU. Silence is your strongest weapon when you hold the Sin of your family. Young Tsunayosh understands this when he takes a vow of silence and the pledge to run away at the age of ten. But after nearly a decade lived in exile as his people fought a brutal war, the young prince starts to doubt his decision...full summary inside. No pairings.
1. Home

Summary: AU. Silence is your strongest weapon when you hold the Sin of your family. Young Tsunayosh understands this when he takes a vow of silence and the pledge to run away at the age of ten. But after nearly a decade lived in exile as his people fought a brutal war, the young prince starts to doubt his decision. Then, news arrives of an end to the war, and Tsunayoshi finds he has no idea how to face the people eagerly awaiting his return. No pairings. Short multi-chap.

* * *

The day had started off just like the thousands that had come before it in that sleepy little town of Namimori.

The sun had risen, bright and cheerful, and the sky was a pure, even canvas of blue, completely uninterrupted by any trace of clouds.

The weather was warm and the air thick with humidity, making sure the students of Namimori High found it next to impossible to concentrate on their school work.

It didn't help either that their summer vacation was just a week away.

One student in particular found it especially hard to concentrate, but nobody paid him any mind.

He was Dame-Tsuna after all - the dumb mute that nobody expected to ever go anywhere in life.

Contrary to popular belief however, Tsunayoshi Sawada-Vongola (known to his classmates only as Tsunayoshi Sawada), was neither dumb nor a mute.

In fact, the boy had inherited his father's quick wit and excellent memory, as well as his mother's exceptional observation skills.

The reason his marks were so low were due to the sheer amount of responsibility resting on his young shoulders.

After all, it was rather hard to focus on something as trivial as math when the fate of one's country was on the line.

Had been on the line for the past seven years.

Especially when one was the prince of that country, and was the sole protector of his family's greatest treasure.

The Vongola Sin.

But regardless of what everyone knew or didn't know, the fact of the matter was, no one in class 3A of Namimori High school was paying attention to a single thing their teacher said.

And that was how it continued for the rest of the day, the students all either passing notes, daydreaming, or even dozing off.

Or in Tsuna's case, contemplating the very meaning of his own existence.

So as one would expect, the moment the bell rang to signal the end of the school day, there were many sighs of relief from the students of the class.

Tsuna packed up all his things quickly, as he usually did, and headed to the home he shared with his "parents", a sweet, if somewhat oblivious, couple who had worked for his family for decades, and who were acting as guardians for the young prince while he lived in this country.

The walk home was rather normal as well, but the moment he opened the front door of his house, the normality of the day came grinding to a screeching halt.

There was an extra pair of shoes in the foyer, which made Tsuna pause.

Tsuna could count on one hand the number of times they had had guests in the seven years since he and his "parents" had moved into this backwater little town.

Setting his bag down in the entranceway and exchanging his outdoor shoes for indoor ones, Tsunayoshi walked down the hall to the living room where his guardians and the guest were most likely sitting.

He walked with loud steps, to announce his arrival, and was met by his "father", Iemitsu Sawada, just steps before he could enter the living room.

"Tsunayoshi," the man said, his voice almost breathless, his eyes wide as he looked down on his surrogate son.

Tsuna tilted his head to the side questioningly.

"It's time," he said in a voice just above a whisper.

And Tsuna felt his breath catch in his throat.

Surely...surely he couldn't mean...?

After all these years, could Tsuna finally...finally be heading home?

Iemitsu must have seen the question in his eyes, but he didn't reply, merely stepping out of the way so that Tsuna could enter the living room.

Feeling his breathing quicken and his heart start pounding, Tsuna stepped towards the living room, wondering who could possibly be waiting in there for him.

Who would be the first of his people that he would see in person at the end of these seven long years?

Tsuna stepped into the room, and two heads turned to look at him.

One was Nana, his "mother".

The other had shoulder-length silver locks, and stormy, sea-green eyes.

And the moment their eyes met, Tsuna felt his chest constrict as an old memory rose to the surface of his mind.

_Of tearful eyes and a determined expression._

_Pudgy hands were on either side of Tsuna's face, cupping his cheeks._

_"You have to go," he said, his voice sure. "You have to keep the Vongola Sin safe."_

_Tsuna nodded._

_"And how are you going to do that?"_

_Tsuna brought his thumb and forefinger up to his lips, pulling from one side to the other as if pulling a zipper closed._

_The other boy nodded. "You keep the Vongola Sin safe," he repeated himself. "And don't worry about our home. I'll keep it safe."_

_Tsuna remembered feeling a well of appreciation rise within him._

_"Just you watch, Juudaime," the boy said. "I'll become the best soldier in our entire army, and I'll make those bastards rue the day they were ever born."_

_And he grinned a feral grin._

Today, there was no grin on the other man's face.

But there was definitely something...relief, maybe?

Pushing his chair back, the other man stood, opening up his arms.

And then, completely without preamble, he said, "It's over."

Tsuna stood there a moment longer, watching him.

Unable to believe what was happening.

"I'm here to take you home, Juudaime," said Hayato.

And suddenly, something inside Tsuna broke.

Taking a few steps forward, the young prince stumbled into Hayato's embrace, sagging against him in relief.

And then, for the first time in over seven years, Tsuna smiled into the fabric of the other man's shirt, and whispered one word.

"Home."

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SkyGem: That's it for this chapter! Please do leave a review and let me know what you thought! This fic is going to be approximately three or four chapters long, and the next chapter will definitely be out tomorrow. Until then, have a good night! And stay tuned! Ciao!

P.S. Props to Bleach-ed-Na-tsu for helping me with the summary! Never would've gone anywhere if it weren't for her!


	2. The Sin

Gokudera Hayato couldn't believe it.

At long last, after so many long years, he finally had his prince back in his arms.

It had been a long time coming, and even though he, personally, had only been fighting for a year, Hayato was already so very weary.

So when he had been told that very morning that the other side had surrendered, Hayato at first hadn't believed his ears.

Of course, there had recently been signs of the Vongola being the better off of the two sides, but their opponents hadn't been in very bad of a position either, it had seemed.

But after much stuttering and making sure that he had heard right, Hayato had let himself feel something he hadn't felt in years: excitement.

He had made a call, and at the first available moment, he had been on the plane to where his prince was.

And now, he was back where he had always known he belonged - right by his best friend's side.

Breaking the embrace, Hayato cupped Tsuna's face with hands that were no longer small and smooth and pudgy, but big and rough with callouses and small scars.

"You're safe?" he asked, needing to be certain.

And Tsuna smiled softly and nodded.

"And the Sin?"

Another nod.

Hayato felt his eyebrows draw together. There was something...off.

Tsuna seemed so old.

Which was not how it was supposed to be.

He was supposed to have grown up as a carefree child.

But those eyes.

They didn't belong to a young man of seventeen years.

They belonged to a war-weary child who had been hunted all his life, who had lived in complete exile, cut off completely from his people, from his loved ones, and even from the two people who had basically raised him.

They were the eyes of one who had carried alone a burden that normally was the responsibility of seven people.

"Go bring it to me," he ordered his friend. "I will help you carry the Sin."

Tsuna looked at him uncertainly for a moment, but eventually did as he was told.

When he returned, he was cradling in both hands a vial of dark red liquid.

He stopped a few steps away, biting his lips and contemplating.

The Vongola Sin was something intensely private.

Once it had been passed on, only the Vongola head and his six chosen were to touch it.

Normally, it would have been passed to Tsuna during his coronation.

But due to the war, the Ninth had had no choice but to pass on the Sin to his young grandchild, to burden ten-year-old Tsunayoshi in the worst possible way.

And now, Tsuna had to decide if he was going to burden his friend in the same way.

Because the Sin...it changed a person. Changed them fundamentally in a way that could not be seen, but could be felt.

Hayato held out his hand to receive the Sin, and still, Tsuna hesitated.

This wasn't a matter of trust, of which there was no lack.

Hayato was Tsuna's oldest friend. They had grown up together. Had been nursed by the same woman, after Tsuna's own mother had died in childbirth, and Lavina had taken him in.

And because they knew each other so well, Tsuna didn't hesitate for very long before handing over the vial.

Hayato took it in both hands, and as soon as he touched it, it felt as if he had been punched in the gut.

Fighting not to black out, the silveret stumbled back, collapsing heavily onto the sofa and laying the thing down on his lap.

"Are...are you all right?" asked Tsuna, his voice rusty from disuse.

"I'm fine," replied Hayato through gritted teeth, forcing a smile.

Images swirled in his mind.

Of streets dyed red with the blood of innocents.

Of babes ripped from their mother's embraces.

Of young girls and boys, who could be no older than ten, dragged kicking and screaming into a disgusting pig's bedchambers.

On and on the images went, each more horrible than the last.

And Hayato was horrified. Ten years.

Tsuna had known these imges since he was ten.

The same age as those children.

Hayato violently stopped that train of though, refusing to let it go further.

"Why?" he asked now, looking up at the boy who was now sitting next to him on the sofa. "Why would you protect something like this?"

Tsuna smiled sadly and reached out with gentle hands to wipe away the tears Hayato hadn't noticed were running down his face.

"Those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it," replied Tsuna.

Hayato looked down at the vial sitting innocently in his lap.

The glass glinted wickely in the overhead light but the vial seemed otherwise quite innocuous.

"There's more," whispered Tsuna, also looking down at the vial. "Behind all the blood and death and horrors. There is something worth protecting."

Hayato was unconvinced.

But he shifted through the memories, trying to find what his best friend was talking about.

And then he saw it.

And he was breathless.

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SkyGem: That's it for this chapter! Please do leave a review and let me know what you thought, yeah?


	3. Giotto the Gentle

SkyGem: I am SO sorry for disappearing these past few days, my lovelies. It's been quite busy for me here. I believe I owe you all five extra updates? I'll try and work them in over the next week or two, so expect even more updates from me for now XD. Anyways, enough of my babbling. I hope you all enjoy!

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_A sea of people was spread out below him, almost as far as the eye could see._

_All were dressed in the bright, happy colours of spring._

_Standing at the very front of the crowd, almost right below him, were seven groups of ten soldiers, each of them dressed smartly in full ceremonial attire._

_The king's own squad of Sky Flame Officers stood in the middle, their bright orange uniforms positively cheery, especially in comparison to the darker hues of their battle wear._

_To either side of the Sky Flame Officers were the other squads, each dressed in their respective colours, all the uniforms more or less the same._

_The only squad whose uniforms differed from the others was the Sun Flame Officers – they were dressed in the flowing robes of healers, though the colour was much more intense than the soft, pale yellows they usually wore and which were easier on the eyes._

_The soldiers were standing rigid, disciplined, but their expressions were soft, mirroring the joy of the crowd._

_He looked down, at the balcony right below him._

_Upon it stood seven people to represent the seven flames._

_In the middle stood a man with a mane of golden hair, and soft blue eyes that smiled down at the crowd._

_A circlet sat upon his head, simple and more befitting of a young prince rather than the king of a nation._

_But it suited him – suited his humility. Though if it were up to him, he wouldn't even wear it._

_His advisers insisted, said that it would give his people pride in their king._

_He smiled down at his people now, taking in their cheers and excitement for a moment._

_Then he raised his hands, and a wave of silence spread out from him until all that could be heard as the shifting of the crowd, the rustle of the wind in the leaves, and the distant bark of a dog._

"_My good people," he began, raising his voice to be heard, and a cheer rang out from the crowd below him. He waited a moment for the noise to die down, his eyes crinkled at the corners in laughter and fond exasperation. And then, once it was quiet again, he continued. "My good people! We are here today to celebrate ONE! FULL! YEAR!"_

_The cheer rang out again, so loud as to be deafening, and the king felt his advisers shift in their places to either side of him. The energy of the crowd seemed to be affecting them, filling their limbs with a giddy energy. But he couldn't allow that. He needed them to stay professional a tad bit longer._

_Raising his arms one more, he demanded silence, and the crowd responded almost immediately._

_He continued._

"_Today, we celebrate one full year of peace and prosperity! And you have all done well in a year's time! The scars of war have all but disappeared from our lands, and our streets are full of laughter and joy! So on this, the first birthday of our fair country, let us CELEBRATE!"_

* * *

Hayato blinked, disoriented upon finding himself back in his own body.

Tsuna was looking at him expectantly, a tentative smile on his face.

"Th-that was..." he gasped out, and Tsuna nodded.

"My great-great-great grandfather. Vongola the First."

"He was...loved?" asked Hayato, confused.

Tsuna nodded as he took the Sin back, cradling it gently in his lap.

"It's something people often forget, but we weren't always like this. There was a time when our country was a small one, free of darkness. It was during the time of Ricardo the Ruthless that we became so fixated on expanding and becoming powerful, and since then, we have gone completely downhill."

"We have gotten better since King Fabio," offered Hayato, trying to make his prince feel better.

"But not enough," replied Tsuna, his expression determined. "And that is why I work so hard to protect Vongola's Sin. In a way, it is our very own Pandora's Box."

"Because it holds all the evils in the world?" asked Hayato, raising an eyebrow as if to ask why one would want to protect it for that reason.

"Because when all the evils have been released upon the world, there is one thing that stays behind."

Hayato's face softened.

"Hope."

And Tsuna nodded.

"Hope that one day, we can go back to what Giotto the Gentle had wanted for our country."

* * *

Sasagawa Ryohei was in a quiet room filled with the quiet breathing of unconscious people.

He walked silently between the rows of beds, like a guardian angel watching over the lives of his patients.

It was the end of a long day, and he was exhausted.

But there was a tentative, fragile happiness slowly building up inside him.

Just ten minutes ago, one of the young acolytes had walked into the sick bay, completely out of breath, and had exclaimed, "It has ended! The war is over!"

And even though Ryohei was not quite yet a full-fledged healer and was therefore technically not to be left alone with the wounded, his mentor had given him a stern look, as if to tell him to be vigilant, before rushing out of the room, to see if the news was true.

Suddenly, there was a cough, and within moments, Ryohei was at the bedside of the soldier.

He was an older man, a storm flame user, and his face was twisted in pain as he continued to cough violently.

Reaching out a hand that was glowing a soft yellow, he rested it upon the man's throat, helping calm the coughing fit as much as he could.

Looking up at him through dazed eyes, the man seemed confused.

"Sasagawa?" he asked. "W-where...is...Shamal?"

"He left to go verify something we just heard about," replied Ryohei, helping the man sit up.

"And what did we just hear about?" asked the man, taking in the hopeful light in Ryohei's eyes and the giddy energy he was filled with.

Ryohei looked down, trying not to seem too excited.

It wouldn't do to give the man potentially false hope.

"There is talk...that the war may be over."

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SkyGem: Oh dear, oh dear, this verse just keeps getting bigger and bigger. I was hoping to end this fic soon, but it looks like that might not be happening. Either way, please do leave a review and let me know what you thought, yes? And I will try and update as soon as I can! Keep in mind though that I do have quite a few other ongoing fics to take care of as well. Well, see you all tomorrow

P.S. A few people were confused on this point, so just in case you all don't remember, in the manga, the Vongola's Sin was a vial of Simon Cozart's blood. It is passed down to each Vongola Boss at their inheritance ceremony, and was created by Giotto in order to pass on the memories of his battles and his friendship with Cozart. In the Inheritance Arc, Enma dripped some of the blood onto his ring in order to help him power up and enter HDWM. In this fic, I've adapted it slightly. You'll learn more about it in coming chapters.


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